The citadels book 1 neversfall

Forgotten Realms The Citadels: Neversfall By Ed Gentry Chapter One They approach, sir," the dwarf said, handing the spyglass to Adeenya She took no notice of Marlke's calloused hands as they brushed against hers, her own skin toughened from years of swordplay and training She brought the glass to her eye to see the bright colors of the Maquar silks waving in the wind as the troops approached "Not much for subtlety, are they?" she said, scanning their ranks "They've little need for stealth, sir," the dwarf replied It was true the Maquar, the elite warriors of Estagund's rajah, might be as subtle as a blow to the head, but they were also as deadly Their battle prowess was legendary, as was their discipline The marching lines of the Maquar were nothing short of perfect No soldier marched faster than another, not one stood too close or too far from his neighbor in the lines Their formations were arranged by height with the taller troops at the ends of each line Marlke was right; they cut an impressive swath across the grassy land as they came Though only a few score soldiers, each Maquar's chest, shoulders, and head were held high as though the entire army of Estagund rode behind them in deference and support Adeenya handed the spyglass back to Markle with a nod She had heard stories of the Maquar's prowess her entire life, and the spectacle that moved toward her sent a shiver up her back Most of her childhood she had been enamored of the stories her father told of the peerless, loyal Maquar with their pageantry and glorious battles When she was still a young girl, Adeenya had begun training behind her father's back, in preparation for join the Maquar Under the guise of learning responsibility, she worked hard in her father's shops to earn coin to pay for sword lessons Paying the tutors to remain quiet had cost as much as the training itself Her skill in fighting was as undeniable as her love of the art Her lessons continued until she learned that the Maquar never accepted foreigners in their ranks, not even those willing to expatriate The Maquar took only natives of Estagund, as though the land somehow lived in their blood Without Estagundian blood, Adeenya's place in the mercenary ranks of the Durpari was clear As soon as she became of legal age, she'd joined the Durpari mercenary forces She'd had nowhere else to go, after all Adeenya turned to study her own soldiers They had broken camp and were packing away gear to be ready to march anew if the Maquar commander so ordered The Durpari uniform of dark brown and gray stood in stark contrast to the bright, vivid blues and greens of the Maquar The Durpari soldiers maintained most any hairstyle they wanted, while the Maquar were all neatly cropped Adeenya watched as one of her troops tripped another, prompting a bout of laughter from many others standing around She shook her head and turned back to the approaching force Her soldiers were different, that was for certain She glanced back over her shoulder and saw the tripped man come to his feet, mirth clear on his face Different was all right "Sir, what's our move?" the dwarf asked "We have no move, Marlke We wait for them The Maquar commander is in charge, be he genius, fool, or lout," she said with a shrug "There's nothing to be done for it now." "And if he's a fool or a lout, sir?" "He wouldn't be the first soldier with those afflictions that I've met," she replied "We'll work around it." The Maquar were two bowshots away, still locked in their battle-ready arrow formation Adeenya swallowed and smoothed her short, ruddy hair slick with sweat and nodded to Marlke to prepare the troops to meet the Maquar The soldiers fell in behind her like dead leaves following a gust of wind and Adeenya strode forward to meet the Maquar, a weak smile on her face Maquar or no, Adeenya was used to being in charge of herself and her own people She often thought it was for the best she had never been able to join the Maquar Subordination was not a talent she'd grown into "Orir Adeenya Jamaluddat," she said with a salute to a dark-skinned man at the front of the Maquar lines She stood nearly a head taller than him but was half his width His broad shoulders were straight and strong without seeming rigid or tense His broad nose hovered over full lips that showed no smile or frown "Greetings," the man said "I am Urir Jhoqo Valshu This is Taennen Tamoor, my durir, and Loraica Hazshad, my terir," he said, indicating a tall, thin, much younger man to his right and an enormous woman to his left Taennen stood with his shoulders rolled back tight, his chin straight, and his hands folded behind his back Cropped black hair covered his head but his clean, smooth face, which had never seen a razor, showed his youth His armor and clothing were cleaner than even his commander's, no small feat while on the road The woman beside him, Loraica, was the largest Adeenya had ever seen Most men did not compare in stature with the towering, muscled figure Tight, dark cuds crowned Loraica's head, forming a loose braid that drifted to her shoulder Her square jaw gave her face an unfeminine but not unattractive visage The two Maquar stood close together as only those who are completely comfortable with one another can Jhoqo's eyes scanned her troops, though Adeenya never felt them leave their scrutiny of her She inwardly scowled She had heard the Estagundian dialect before and the pronunciation differences it caused Be he in charge or not, she was Orir Jamaluddat, not Urir The Maquar leader nudged his chin toward the dwarf "And this?" "My dear, Marlke Stoutgut," she said The dwarf stared straight ahead, his eyes focused on nothing, the same attitude as the durir and terir across from him Proper subordinates, all Adeenya was pleased Jhoqo nodded again, and a long silence passed between the five of them "And your third?" he asked "None, sir," Adeenya said Jhoqo eyed her for a moment "I'd heard the Durpari didn't have extensive command successions How you find that works for you, Orir?" the man said, his tongue catching hard on the final word "Fine, sir," Adeenya replied, her forehead wrinkled "Well, that's what matters, isn't it?" Jhoqo said, waving a dismissive hand for everyone to stand at ease "This is Khatib, our resident intellect," Jhoqo said, indicating a stocky man in a peacock blue robe who approached from within the ranks He wore no armor and carried no shield "With your permission, Khatib will quickly examine your men," Jhoqo said "Just as a precaution." Adeenya nodded, keeping her mouth tightly shut Caution was always merited, but the line between prudence and insult was a thin one, she knew If her superiors hadn't advised her to keep her forces small and leave the spellcasters behind, she would have been sorely tempted to send one over to examine the Maquar The wizard bowed again "If you could simply ask them to form a line, single-file?" Adeenya nodded to Marlke, adding a significant glance for her second alone The dwarf saluted with a curt, short snap of his hand and began barking orders The soldiers from Durpar fell quickly into line and submitted as one to the wizard's examination Adeenya knew Marlke would understand her implicit order to watch the wizard carefully "They seem to be good soldiers, Orir You are to be commended," Jhoqo said to Adeenya He motioned for her to join him as he began to walk "Thank you, sir I have found them loyal, brave, and resourceful in my time as their commander," Adeenya replied "How long has that been?" Taennen asked from his position behind them "Durir," Jhoqo said without looking at the younger man Taennen flinched but continued to walk His dark eyes were locked on his commander, his lips were pursed and his stance rigid The breeze had mussed his cropped black hair "My apologies for my second's manners," Jhoqo said to Adeenya "No need, sir," she said "I have led most of these men for nearly two years A few, my dorir included, have been with us for a little over six months." "Your previous second died?" Jhoqo asked His gaze lingered on the distant Curna Mountains as he spoke "No, sir She was transferred Promoted, actually She now leads her own regiment," Adeenya said She wondered at the life of conflict the man must have led to assume her second had died In that moment, the glorious shine of the Maquar seemed a little scuffed to her "Ahh I see the pride you feel for her," Jhoqo said "It is a wonderful feeling, isn't it? And it speaks highly of your skills in teaching her how to lead, daughter." She nodded "Yes, sir May I ask a question, sir?" "Of course Everything begins with a question," he replied "When will I learn why my troops and I have been called here, sir?" Jhoqo stopped and turned to face her "Straight to the point A fine quality, I suppose, Orir." "Yes, sir," Adeenya said She could hardly imagine what urgent need demanded that she lead her forty soldiers to the middle of the wilds at the northern end of the Curna Mountains "A reconnaissance mission," her superiors had said "Nothing to worry about." Which did not explain why they had met the Maquar— or, more importantly, why they were expected to be subordinate to the almost equal force "Have you spent any time in Veldorn, Orir?" Jhoqo asked, resuming his stroll once again "I've passed through a few times, sir Never very deep into those lands, though," Adeenya said "Why is that, you think?" Jhoqo asked Adeenya chose her words carefully and said, "Between business interests and the Durpari government, many campaigns have been launched with the intention of clearing Veldorn of the monster tribes They've all failed It is not our custom to throw good money after bad The few civilized folks who choose to live there are on their own " Jhoqo nodded "I appreciate your honesty, Orir." "Sir—we're to go to Veldorn, then?" she asked Jhoqo seemed to gauge her carefully "We travel to the one place that might eventually solve many of the problems we in the South have in Veldorn," Jhoqo said "To Neversfall." Adeenya did not speak for several moments "For what purpose, sir?" "You've heard of Neversfall?" Jhoqo said, watching her "Aye, sir My father mentioned it a few times," she said She remembered how casually her father had talked of his interest in the citadel when the proposal had first come to him She knew then that he was interested Her father only responded so coolly when he was excited about a proposition The urir raised his eyebrows "He is Yaviz Jamaluddat," she added reluctantly "Ah! Of course," Jhoqo said "Such a wealthy merchant would certainly know of it No doubt he invested in it." His tone made it clear that his last words were not a question so Adeenya did not address it as such and forged ahead "What is the mission at Neversfall, sir?" Jhoqo stopped walking and faced Adeenya and both of his subordinates "To secure it." "Sir?" Taennen asked "The conditions at the citadel of Neversfall are currently unknown," Jhoqo said "The last report from the commander assigned to Neversfall is three days overdue." "Three days? By the One," Taennen said "Yes, the councils are quite concerned," Jhoqo said "Estagund and Durpar have invested too much time, coin, and mutual respect into this endeavor for anything to go wrong." Adeenya puzzled at the man's notion of respect as an investment Though, she supposed, respect often yielded the finest returns "Yes, sir Do we have any theories as to what might have happened to the troops stationed there?" "Yes, sir, how many were there?" Taennen added "The citadel was held by nearly forty combined Maquar and Durpari troops," Jhoqo said Adeenya reeled at the number What could possibly overcome forty well-trained soldiers with a strong fortress as their line of defense? "Sir, are there more reinforcements on the way?" she asked Jhoqo shook his head "Not yet We're to scout the situation and call in more if needed." Adeenya quelled her immediate reaction and offered a measured response "Sir, we could be dealing with a huge enemy force here if they overwhelmed that many troops We aren't prepared for anything larger than a clean-up effort We need battlemages, clerics—the safety of our two nations could be at stake." Jhoqo nodded "Or perhaps it's nothing serious at all," he said "That's what we're going to find out No need for expensive magic-users then It's best not to jump to conclusions, Orir Try to remember that." Adeenya restrained herself "Yes, sir." "Our first goal is to make sure the men and women at the citadel are safe." "Of course, sir," Adeenya said "I'm just trying to keep the bigger issues in mind." "I believe in the Adama, Orir Do you?" Jhoqo said "I'm not sure I see the relevance, sir," Adeenya said "If all is one, if everyone and everything are connected as that thinking would have us believe, then we should treat one another with great care, don't you think?" Adeenya nodded, though the relevance still eluded her "The wholeness of the All is a fine and good concept, sir." Jhoqo nodded "The Adama is a wise formula that benefits us all Too often, we hurry through life without thinking about the small connections and opportunities we pass up every day Those small things cannot be sacrificed for the bigger issues Details, Orir." Adeenya said nothing but nodded again The Maquar were known for their devotion to the ways of the Adama, the belief system of most inhabitants of the Shining South Never one to give the matter much thought, Adeenya usually just smiled and nodded when the topic was broached in conversation— especially when the person doing the broaching was also her commander "When we move out, sir?" Adeenya asked, hoping to leave the previous conversation behind She had used the word 'sir' more times in the few moments she'd known the Maquar commander than she had in the previous two weeks It didn't fit well in her mouth "I want to address the troops before we go, but we will move out immediately after," Jhoqo said "Yes, sir My people will have our camp broken down in two bells," Adeenya replied Jhoqo gave her a hard look and said, "No, Orir You'll be ready to move before next bell." With that the man offered a nod and moved toward the rest of the Maquar soldiers who still stood in perfect formation, awaiting their next command Adeenya held back a sigh, hoping she had never come across to her subordinates as Jhoqo just had to her + chapter two Xaennen fell into step behind his commander He felt the anticipation in the air among his fellow Maquar Jhoqo was a true orator, his many speeches worth the waits between and good for morale Taennen glanced over his shoulder to the Durpari commander She nodded tightly Taennen wondered at the woman's inattentive expression He needed no mirror to see the enthusiasm on his own face He saw it reflected on the faces of his brothers The Maquar stood rigid— disciplined but excited to hear their commander speak His words led to their deeds and their deeds were great Yet Adeenya and her troops stood quiet in body and spirit, their eyes seeming attentive but dull and lacking illumination Was there a better moment in the life of a soldier than the one just before a mission? He basked for a moment in the pride of knowing that when the troops heard their new mission, they would cheer They would celebrate the opportunity to bring the rule of the Rajah to new places and people They would revel in simply being soldiers, doing their duty and helping one another along the way Taennen cast an eye back to Adeenya and wondered if she ever felt such joy Probably not—she was still a mercenary Soldiering was all about money to mercenaries Jhoqo paced before the soldiers as the last few Durpari fell into their places Next to one another, the differences between the two forces came into sharp focus The bright, bold colors of the Maquar arranged next to the subdued appearances of the Durpari provided an extreme contrast The Maquar looked ready to take the battlefield while the Durpari looked ready to skulk through city streets at night The pride and joy of Estagund beside the best Durpar could offer Jhoqo stopped his pacing and raised his arms "Brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters, let us take this moment to share in our joy of being given this awesome task The One, the All, has come together and presented us with an opportunity to add our balance to the world We will just that!" The Maquar slapped their gloves on the boiled leather of their bracers in response, though their demeanor never changed, their disciplined stance never wavered Startled by the sound, several of the Durpari moved their hands instinctively to the hilts of their weapons, only to release them when they realized the source of the sounds Taennen offered a reassuring smile to Adeenya, who had also started at the ritual applause Jhoqo continued "We are in the most dangerous of the southern lands, my friends It doesn't take much of a fool to make a mistake in Veldorn that costs someone's life." The Maquar again pounded their appreciative rhythm but stopped short when the sound of further pounding came from the Durpari ranks Each Durpari soldier was slapping the shoulder of the nearest comrade A moment of silence passed when the pounding stopped, and Jhoqo walked to stand before the Durpari, looking Adeenya in the eyes "You honor us, our Durpari brethren," Jhoqo said, clapping Adeenya on the shoulder Adeenya bowed her head in thanks to the man "And you, my loyal Maquar I would enter battle beside no one else!" Jhoqo said, turning from her The Maquar roared in return, a brief, violent burst chorus Taennen felt a burr in his throat, but that only made him shout all the more Jhoqo continued, "We all know what awaits us in Veldorn We will be in the land of beasts, my friends We must defend ourselves We may even have to kill!" The pounding of fists and chests rattled in Taennen's ears, the syncopation of solidarity He hit himself harder, adding his own effort to the clatter The troops of both countries seemed to pound all the harder, attempting to outdo one another in friendly competition Taennen was proud to see the Maquar allowing the Durpari mercenaries to stand with them as though they were equals in a sign of solidarity "Let us so together, as family, as a whole within the Adama," Jhoqo said "Let us defend one another against the monstrous hordes should they be fool enough to come against us!" The reactionary noise hit a new level, and a few affirmative shouts joined the chorus Jhoqo beamed as he paced before the gathering, his colors fluttering and chin held high "Come!" Jhoqo said "We begin our journey together!" Taennen saluted and turned to give orders for his troops to form up just as a loud horn sounded in the distance The durir drew his weapon at the sound Adeenya's eyes widened and the Durpari leaped to their feet Adeenya shouted a string of commands to her people Taennen's eyes found his commander, who nodded once in permission of Taennen's unspoken request He scanned the area and spotted what he needed—all twelve hundred pounds of it Taennen sprinted toward an unburdened brown and white pack horse and vaulted atop the creature with a shout His heels dug into his mount's side, and the horse dashed away Usually loaded down with goods, the horse rarely had the opportunity to sprint, but unburdened now, the horse covered the ground quickly From the east, a Durpari soldier waving an unfamiliar signal flag sped toward him at an arrow's pace Though the man's face was indistinguishable, Taennen felt the terror pouring off the runner, even from so far away He looked over his shoulder, shouting "Threat to the east!" Another Maquar took up the call, carrying the news further into the ranks until all present had received the information Taennen kicked the horse into a gallop toward the fleeing soldier The thundering hooves became a war drum to his ears No anger, hate, or violence bubbled in his mind, but rather adventure and opportunity His father had always said that young men should fight every so often just to remind themselves that they could Jhoqo disapproved of such philosophy Taennen grinned a little and kicked ahead, his pulse pounding Fifteen paces from the fleeing soldier, Taennen could clearly see wounds on the man's arms and neck, thin oozing cuts The horn-blower rasped and wheezed, his lungs strained from running, but one word was clear: "Monsters." Taennen reined his mount to a stop next to the young soldier The runner sucked hard for breath, collapsing against Taennen's horse Taennen looked back to see the rest of the Maquar and Durpari They marched toward him but were still several long bowshots away "What's the danger, soldier?" Taennen said The soldier tried to speak, but still Taennen could only make out that one word Taennen reached down and turned the man's face toward him His eyes were glossy and distant, his pallid face streaked with blood Taennen released him Whatever had stricken so much fear into this man would not drive Taennen to the same state He was Maquar The Durpari man pushed away from the horse and ran to the rest of the troops The Durpari mercenaries had fallen in with the Maquar, both forces approaching but still some distance away Taennen pulled his steed s reins and turned the horse to take his place among his men He froze in place when his ears began to vibrate with an unfamiliar sound It felt like dozens of flies buzzed in unison inside his head There was no pain, but the sound was discomfiting He stared toward the east, still unable to see what might be causing the sound Taennen slid off" the horse Something was close He jogged forward, coming to the top of a small hillock, and looked over its edge into the valley below He nearly cried out Behind him he heard the horse scream and take off towards the Maquar and Durpari He shook his head to clear it, and glanced back at the fast approaching army "Sirs," he said as Jhoqo and Adeenya reached him "We have a problem." Below the gathered troops, at the bottom of the gently sloping hill and charging toward them, was an army of creatures Taennen's practiced eyes scanned the mobbing beasts "Approximately fifty individuals," he reported "Maybe ten bugbears, another dozen goblins, a score of kobolds, more than a dozen humans and by the One! A pair of girallons and a half-giant." Jhoqo nodded, his brow furrowed, his mind already working on a strategy, Taennen was certain Goblins, bugbears and kobolds together, Taennen could accept, but never had he seen so many humans alongside the black-hearted creatures But that was not their greatest concern What Taennen, and no doubt the others near him, found so amazing were the creatures behind that gathered mass Ranging in sizes that matched everything from a dog to a horse stood another twenty or so creatures, looking like twisted and mutilated centaurs crossed with insects Taennen was reminded of desert ants, only these creatures were less graceful in appearance and many thousands of times larger Their reddish brown flesh shimmered in the midday sun They stood on four legs that bent at multiple joints Two arms attached to shoulders topped by wicked, bony protrusions Bulbous sacks erupted where their legs and backs met and carried short barbs on some of the creatures There could be no doubt that they were pressing the other creatures, human and goblinoid alike, up the hill toward the waiting soldiers "What in all the order of the Adama are those?" someone from the ranks exclaimed Taennen had seen a wemic once, a leonine creature similar to the centaur-like ants below The wemic had been beautiful and frightening at the same time, elegant death in motion The same could not be said of these creatures They moved with twitches and jerks, their gait uneven Thin to the point of emaciation with hairs covering their legs, they clattered along with their stomping cohorts They could not be creatures of this world Where they came from was a mystery, but they did not belong in Veldorn, that much he knew "Something is terribly wrong," Adeenya said "We should continue to the citadel," Khatib advised There was no fear in his voice, only practicality "I doubt they'll let us just stroll by, wizard," Marlke said "Soldiers!" Jhoqo shouted, drawing his broad falchion from its scabbard with a scrape It shone bright with magic in the midday sun, a bright star against the dull plains of Veldorn "We are brothers and sisters in battle! Surely together there is no force to stop us on the face of Faerûn!" Jhoqo shouted Maquar and Durpari alike shouted in response "For the Rajah!" Jhoqo shouted and turned to face Taennen and Adeenya Through the cheering and scrapes of steel being pulled from sheath and scabbard, Jhoqo shouted to be heard "Taennen, take half our men as yours to flank the left Orir, take your men and circle around to flank them from the right Terir, you're with me." He turned again and faced the gathered forces "For the South! Clean every last beast from our path! None of my soldiers die today! Is that clear?" Cheers erupted again Taennen's ears ached with the sound, but his heart raced with anticipation He drew his khopesh "No prisoners, sir?" Adeenya asked Jhoqo turned from her and strode away without answering Whether or not he had heard her question was unclear For her part, Adeenya clenched her jaw, but she rallied her soldiers and drove them to the right She had a point, Taennen realized Prisoners might be useful in gaining information Perhaps this ragged army of creatures was somehow involved in the trouble—if there was any—at Neversfall An army of beasts this organized could have taken the regiment by surprise Taennen threw his hands high, signaling for two of the four Maquar squads to follow him He pushed his way left to approach the enemy from a flanking position Once away from the other units, Taennen shouted to the men gathered about him "Kill if you must, but if you can incapacitate an opponent to claim a captive, so." The soldiers saluted Seeing Jhoqo's troops setting off down the hill to meet the charge, Taennen thrust his khopesh high and loosed an ululating war cry His troops returned his cry as they charged down the hill, falling into position as they ran As they descended the hill, Taennen's troops came into a wedge formation to punch through the enemy ranks and prevent the beasts from flanking Jhoqo's men as they attacked the center Taennen stayed behind the forward line of that wedge by several strides, out of the heaviest fighting, in order to better command his forces Leading troops meant living long enough to make sure that you lost as few soldiers as possible His secure position gave an advantage in this He watched the forward soldiers pouring down the hill and felt nostalgic It wasn't long ago that his place was in the action Taennen held his shield and khopesh ready, looking for openings and opportunities to assist his soldiers With shouts of "For the rajah," Taennen's troops plunged into the fracas, scattering a group of goblins The clatter of steel on steel made Taennen's blood race, and his eyes devoured the battle scene before him He watched for gaps in the lines of the wedge formation, shouting out directions to fill them as the fighting force plowed through the battle He stepped over the corpse of a goblin as a line of blood sprayed across his chest from a nearby kill made by one of his soldiers A bugbear dodged through the formation of soldiers, its bulky body surprisingly nimble, and charged Taennen The Maquar durir met the attack by launching his khopesh at the creature's neck The bugbear parried the blow with a strong upward sweep of its club The blade carved into the club with a thunk Taennen pivoted on his left foot, brought the blade around, and drove it into the bugbear's groin The beast didn't make a sound It stumbled and fell forward as Taennen snarled and plunged his sword into the bugbear's side "Right side! Disabling blows!" Taennen shouted "Form up and get in there!" Two of his soldiers tightened their formation in response, without so much as a hesitation between swings A pair of goblins harried a soldier in the rear of the wedge She plunged forward with her blade, aiming low for one's legs instead of delivering a more deadly blow to the head or chest, and nicked one of her attackers knees The little goblin leaped backward and its companion took advantage of the woman's extension, driving a spear through her neck Her mouth opened in a silent cry and blood spilled down her chest and arm Taennen dashed forward but had made only half the distance when another of the Maquar broke formation to come to her aid The goblins met the newcomer with low slashes The soldier parried them and launched one of the goblins several paces with a quick kick The other creature latched onto the man's leg and began climbing the soldier like a tree The Maquar shifted his sword to his offhand and throttled the goblin, tossing it away Before he could regain his defenses, the first goblin scrabbled toward him and drove a small axe into his gut The Maquar shouted for help, but his fellows were engaged with enemies of their own Taennen reached the Maquar's side and severed the goblin's head with his blade while loosing a scream The head fell to the ground, lips curved in a grim smile Taennen took a step and continued the stroke into the other goblin, obliterating its abdomen The Maquar wedge formation continued to gain ground, pushing through the gathered monsters and leaving Taennen and the two injured soldiers behind Taennen bent over the fallen woman to look for signs of life, but her chest did not move The lake of blood spreading beneath her face left no doubt of her demise Taennen choked back his anger at her death and turned his attention to the man who clutched his stomach and cursed the dead goblin Taennen pried the man's hands away to check the gushing wound Reds and pinks of many shades greeted him, squirming organs like so many worms, leaking their precious fluids Taennen pressed hard on the gaping hole causing the man to moan in pain "Cleric!" Taennen shouted before he turned back to see the Maquar's face "Hang on, soldier We'll get this taken care of Hold that wound like it was a gift from the rajah himself!" The soldier grimaced but mouthed his affirmation Unable to help the man further, Taennen stood from the fallen soldier He ran toward the rest of his troops to prevent the same fate from befalling them Let the cleric get to him, Taennen prayed The Maquar did not pay for resurrections The durir scanned the scene and watched in horror as, in the back of the formation, a half-giant nearly twice his height took the arm from one of his Maquar with a single stroke of her axe Taennen roared a challenge to the creature, who trudged toward him instead of chasing the still-charging wedge Taennen rolled to his left as the half-giant swung her huge axe at him Her hulking muscles and dark brown skin seemed to soak up the sunlight Her bald pate glistened with the fruit of her efforts and she swung the weapon slowly but with alacrity enough to the job Taennen hopped to his feet and sprinted, circling behind the beastly woman Teeth the size of Taennen's fingers gnashed together as she spun her axe low behind him Taennen stopped his run and jumped straight up, pulling his legs up tight to his body The huge axe whirred by just as he pulled his feet from the ground, grain plucked before it could be cut by the scythe He gained his feet and drove right with his khopesh, slashing the blade at the half-giant's left side The blow glanced off her hardened skin Taennen grunted with frustration and shook off the pain in his wrist from the impact She turned to face him again without a sound Taennen took two large steps back to escape the range of her terrible weapon Her eyes were glassy and devoid of the battle rage he expected She fought without anger or passion She hefted the weapon above her head and drove down hard and straight, a blow easily dodged Dirt sprayed as the axe head bit into the earth Before she could tug the heavy axe from the ground, Taennen was beside her, jabbing his khopesh at her Twice his blade bit her before she wrenched her huge weapon from the soil, and twice it barely "Stop, I said!" Taennen shouted and moved to wrest the man from the creature's grip The formian dropped the Chondathan and stepped back, once again concealing itself in the shadows "He will answer to stop the pain," Guk said "Yes, he will But that does not make it right," Taennen replied "He stands against order," Guk said, as though the words were explanation and justification enough "It doesn't matter Besides, if you torture him enough, he'll tell you he's a troll and can grant your greatest wish," Taennen said, kneeling next to the Chondathan "He defies order If he does not serve the purpose of answering your questions, we will end his life We have suffered him to live this long only because we thought he might help you He does not respect order and should die," Guk said The unsettling timbre in Guk's voice settled into a rhythm that Taennen found even more alien than usual "No," Taennen said, standing and turning to face the larger creature He stepped closer to Guk, moving out of Lucha's light filtering down through the tree tops Though dark, they could see one another, and their gazes locked, neither of them flinching nor blinking Taennen held his ground, hand on his weapon "I can't let you murder him," Taennen whispered "Maybe we can trick him somehow." "Lie," Guk said Formian voices did not lilt when inquisitive and so Taennen did not respond for the span of several heartbeats, finally identifying the words as a question "Yes Fool him into telling us how many more of them there are, whether there are any secret tunnels we can use, and anything else we need to know," Taennen said "We will not lie," Guk said as he moved toward the Chondathan, who gasped when he saw the largest formian Guk stared hard at the man, his head twitching slightly "Ask him your questions." Taennen eyed the big formian but stood over the Chondathan, lowering his voice and scowling as best he could "How many more of you are underground?" "To the hells with you, Maquar," Rhalov said "Approximately forty," Guk said Rhalov's eyes went wide staring at the formian Uncertain what was happening, Taennen continued "Why are you here?" Rhalov said nothing, but Guk spoke "For coin." The Chondathan stared at Guk, his lips pursed, his brow furrowed "Why are the Chondathans here?" Taennen asked Again, Guk spoke when the human would not, saying, "For coin." Taennen growled at the answer, upset with himself for being so vague, and angry at the stubborn prisoner "Is there a way to use the tunnels to enter Neversfall?" Taennen asked, turning to face Guk in anticipation of the response "Yes," Guk said, eliciting a moan from Rhalov "Where? How?" Taennen said Before Guk could respond, Rhalov did "I'll speak! Just get it out of my head!" "Speak," Guk said, though Taennen was uncertain whether he had stopped his magical reading "Enter the tunnel where you just exited Take the second tunnel left, the first right and the second left again You'll see a ladder built into the rock," Rhalov said "Is it guarded?" Taennen asked Rhalov nodded Taennen paced, running his fingers through his dark hair "Who is in charge? Bascou?" Taennen asked The Chondathan grinned and shook his head "You know who." Taennen lashed out and slapped the man's face He already knew the answer but could not bear to hear the name aloud His suspicions confirmed, he turned from the prisoner and stared at the ground "You are finished with him," Guk said "Yes We'll tie him up and come back later " Taennen started to say but was cut short as a glow caught his attention He turned to see what looked like the bars on a prison cell, horizontal lines crossing verticals, beams of blue light floating before Rhalov The strange, lighted lattice floated forward, pressing slowly into the Chondathan, who loosed a high-pitched scream as his torso was seared by the strange force A sound like meat sizzling on a skillet and the rough scraping of a shovel filled his ears Rhalov's scream was cut off as the bars faded from existence on the far side of his body and he slumped to the ground "For all the One," Taennen said, turning from the sight of the man's chest splayed open and the smell of burnt flesh "You did that?" Taennen said, facing Guk "He defied order Be careful that you not," Guk said with no hint of threat in his voice Taennen wanted to scream, to denounce what the formian had done, but he knew it would little good While he objected to the deed, he was not in a position to argue His mind turned to his next task, and there was a pressing matter still to attend He wondered what part of himself he had lost that might have objected more strongly Could he get it back? "You helped me get the information I needed Now what? We were even, and now I am in your debt again," Taennen said "You will need help at the fortress," Guk said Taennen squinted but agreed "His answers, and our help in taking the keep That we offer," the formian replied "And what price I pay?" "We lost many of our kind and all of our workers We need workers We cannot return with fewer than we had when we left," Guk said "I can't give you back your prisoners They're not slaves They'll be freed," Taennen said, taking a step backward "Not them," Guk said Taennen cocked his head and raised an eyebrow After a few moments he understood what the formian was suggesting The idea made him sick at first But the idea of not seeing justice done broke his heart He wanted an end to all the wrongdoing at Neversfall "Fine Any of the invaders we capture " he said, unable to finish the sentence Part of Taennen was disgusted with himself, another part proud for making a hard decision that he knew was the right one The decision had not been as hard as he imagined That bothered him "There are others near," Guk said "Chondathans? Where, in the woods?" Taennen asked "Not the invaders," Guk replied "Who?" Taennen asked "Many like you and the others," Guk said "Maquar and Durpari?" Taennen said Guk affirmed, and the formian ranks began to move forward again Taennen restrained himself from dashing ahead to see the others, to find out what had happened Lucha's light had become brighter, and though the formians moved quietly, even they could not avoid rustling through the underbrush He wondered how they had ever surprised the Chondathans who had been chasing him So it came as no surprise when he heard human voices shout in warning from the west, closer to the edge of the forest "Peace," Taennen said The formians stopped their shuffling, and the woods soaked up every bit of sound Silence reigned for several moments before a single voice called out "Taennen?" It was Adeenya Taennen smiled and pushed past the formians to step into a less crowded patch of the forest: Gasps from the darkness greeted him a mere moment before several Maquar ran to him, cheering in low voices Joy was in the air, but the seasoned warriors knew quiet was a necessary tool Taennen greeted his friends with hugs and claps on shoulders After exchanging greetings, the formians stepped out of the trees just enough to be seen by the humans The Maquar and Durpari gasped and cursed, lifting their weapons "No!" Taennen said, his arms high "They want to help." "Help what?" a Durpari woman asked "Help us retake Neversfall," Taennen said in a low voice Before the gathered humans could respond, Adeenya stepped out of the crowd Taennen smiled to see her again Her smile was no smaller than his, though it fled her face as she turned to face her makeshift army "He is right We will retake Neversfall We must Go, rest," she said, pointing to a nearby clearing As the soldiers grumbled and walked away, Taennen nodded to Guk, whose people followed him in the opposite direction several paces away The two officers stood in silence a few moments before Adeenya recounted her escape, never mentioning who had captured her Taennen shared his own, and Adeenya fumed at the news of the weapons smuggling "Taennen," she said, "I didn't murder Marlke I tried to stop him I stabbed him after he attacked me, but he could have been healed—would have been healed Jhoqo let him die He's mad, Taennen He —" "I know I should have seen it," Taennen said Adeenya nodded but said nothing further on the matter "So how are we going to take Neversfall?" "I know the way in," he replied "That will help," she said, "but our men are disillusioned, wounded, and hungry." "It's amazing what a lack of choice can do, and we don't have one," he said She nodded and glanced toward the formians "Are they really helping?" He followed her gaze to the creatures and said, "Yes." She said nothing for a few heartbeats, but then asked, "Why would they help, and why would we trust them?" "We trust them for the same reason we take the fortress," he said "We have no choice." She ceded the point but asked again, "But why are they going to help?" "For payment The same reason anyone does anything," he said She glanced back at the formians again and said, "They wanted coin?" "Payment doesn't always mean gold or silver," Taennen replied Before Adeenya could respond, Taennen walked toward the soldiers in the clearing Jhoqo had always said that a good soldier knows when a command is a poor one, be it unjust or simply mad Taennen was about to give an insane command, and he could only hope that his soldiers were good and that things weren't as simple as he had always believed them to be The world had come to look quite different in the last couple of days Maybe he was seeing things that Jhoqo could not "Please, everyone, listen to me," Taennen said, waving for the displaced people to gather around him Blood spattered his flesh and his armor, his face was worn and haggard "Maquar, we have been betrayed," Taennen started "No, not just us Everyone who hails from the South Sadly, that betrayal came from within our ranks." The Maquar and Durpari stood silent, though the former prisoners began to shout at Taennen, having picked him out as the person in charge they hoped would help them "Listen, please, all of you," Taennen said "I know you want to go home I know you are beside yourselves wondering why your former slavers are standing only paces away," he said, indicating the formians still gathered nearby "My fellow soldiers, I know your minds are spinning right now Mine is too Though I was not with you in your battle against the Chondathans, the full weight of Jhoqo's betrayal sits on my heart as well," he said The Maquar lowered their heads in unison, a sign of respect to the relationship between Jhoqo and Taennen Taennen spoke again, an orator emerging from him out there in the wilderness "Beneath Neversfall are forces that would break the laws we hold dear, and that some of us have sworn to defend Weapons are being smuggled to feed the war machine that is Mulhorand This citadel will make more coin in a month than most chakas make in a year Illegal coin! Blood coin! Coin pried from the hands of the dead citizens of the next country that the vicious Mulho-randi target This must be stopped." The former captives seemed unmoved, standing huddled together away from the soldiers, separating themselves as though some caste system were in place Who could blame them for not wanting to get involved? This was not their affair They had sworn no oaths, they were not being paid Their faces showed only the desire to remain free, to return to their homes and the lives they had known before being taken by the formians Taennen noticed the disinterest from the citizens as well and turned to address them "I am sorry you have suffered Some of you have been away from your homes for a long, long time Little would please me more than to take each of you to your homes right now and know that you would never have to return to this place," he said, pausing before continuing "But I can't that The truth is that the people in that fortress must be stopped Many, many more people will die if they are not The Adama tells us that we are all connected, that our goal should be the good of all things because all things are part of us and we are part of them "Good trade benefits everyone, but what the warmongers behind this are doing here does not The victims of the Mulhorandi will not benefit, the citizens of the South who devote themselves to the laws we live by will not benefit." The former captives murmured among themselves but seemed largely unmoved Taennen moved closer to them "And you and those you love will not benefit You may be harmed by this action," Taennen said "How? The Mulhorandi don't attack my homeland," said a short man in shabby clothes "Not yet," Taennen said "But these weapons will allow them to expand their borders farther, to extend their reach into lands that may not have interested them previously Perhaps they will come after your home next When they conquer those around them, what will stop their appetite for more war and more land?" The former captives muttered amongst themselves After a few moments, one of them stepped forward and spoke "We're not fighters, sir What are we supposed to do? We just want to go home to our families For some of us, it's been a very long time." Taennen nodded "I know, my friends If I saw a choice, I would latch onto it, but I not," he said "Friends, please trust me You not want to be alone here in the wilds of Aerilpar," Taennen said "There are far worse things in these woods than you have encountered before." chapter Tujeotu-Nioe Jhoqo stared at the corpse of Bascou laid before him in his command building He dismissed the Chondathan soldiers who had brought the body to him, and then crumpled into a chair Bascou's thick cheeks from his face like sacks of emptied wheat His wounds still dribbled, sprinkling the floor with red Jhoqo had barely known the man and would not miss him He was a cursed darkblade Damn all the Chondathans to the Hells, he thought He would trade the whole lot of them for ten Maquar or even Durpari He sighed and let his muscles relax, slumping in the chair The Chondathans were unimportant, but the people they represented were not The men and women who had hired the mercenaries knew what needed to be done, and they gave Jhoqo the means to it So why couldn't his own soldiers understand? Couldn't they see the degradation of Southern ways all around them? Fair and open trade was being stifled by petty laws and politics The very idea of declaring trade with another country to be illegal was absurd, even offensive, to anyone who loved the South and the ways of the Adama The citizens he was working with understood that, and he knew that he would have to walk away from his entire career For the South, he would that Jhoqo stood and took a deep breath So be it, he thought and walked out the door, leaving the lifeless Bascou behind him He called out to the Chondathan guard who was his shadow, "Go and fetch me your second in command." The guard, with his downy beard, was one of the youngest the Chondathans had brought He did not move, though his eyes went straight to the ground "Go!" Jhoqo barked "He's dead, sir," the boy said, twitching "Then the third, and if he's dead, then the fourth Just get me somebody, boy!" Jhoqo yelled, and he started toward the central tower, namesake to the citadel Before he reached the door, an older man, a bit thick through the belly, came to a stop in front of him and saluted "You have a wizard in the mines, yes?" Jhoqo said The man nodded "Go and get him right away Tell him I have a challenge for him," Jhoqo said, craning his neck to look up at the top of the tower +++++ Of all the feelings that swirled through him, Taennen dwelled the longest on foolishness He was afraid, intimidated, uncertain but mostly, he felt foolish The torchlight held by the man behind him guided his steps through the tunnels Taennen glanced back once to see the ragged squad behind him, stumbling through the stone corridors Foolishness Here he was, hoping to lead a score of soldiers and ten utterly untrained farmers and craftsman against a fortified citadel held by veteran soldiers who weren't as worn and weary, and who outnumbered them besides The only advantage they had, by his reckoning, was that the Chondathans and their dwarf cohorts would be unlikely to expect an attack by the very forces they had just routed "How many can we expect?" asked one of the former captives—a farmer by trade—and not for the first time "We should be ready for at least twice our numbers," Taennen replied The soldiers nodded and traded words of encouragement and reassuring claps on backs The few citizens all seemed to pale at the same moment They would be the first to die, Taennen knew Unable to skillfully wield the weapons they had been given and facing trained foes, they would fall quickly They would serve the cause best if they could live long enough to distract an enemy, allowing a Maquar or Durpari soldier to end the attacker's life swiftly It was a matter of stretching their numbers Taennen stopped, the people behind him stumbling into him "Sir?" someone said But Taennen barely heard the question He turned to look at the former captives, their eyes wide and knuckles white on weapons that would likely not help them A soldier knew that his life might be forfeit at any time, but these men and women—farmers, brewers, herders—they had sworn no such oaths Taennen needed their numbers and their swords, but guilt tugged at him Surely many of them would die Looking at the former prisoners, their thin faces reflecting a lack of proper nutrition, he spoke "Go back Turn around and await us at the edge of the woods If we don't return, head straight south You'll come across an expedition sooner or later, likely some halflings who will take you in." The soldiers stayed quiet though a few exchanged glances The former captives, frail and tiny compared to those around them, stood stunned "You said you needed us," one of them said Taennen nodded "I do, but people are going to die The soldiers among us have all sworn oaths to fight for our lands and have training You owe no one anything and have lived your lives away from conflict If you go with us, you will die and quickly." "We know that," the same man responded to the reluctant nods of several of the others "Then why come?" asked one of the Maquar before Taennen could respond Another man, shorter and rounder in the belly, shrugged and said, "Like you said before They have to be stopped before they come to my front door Besides, lots of innocent folk will die by these weapons they're selling I won't have that on my soul while I sleep in my comfortable bed." Taennen shook his head "Innocents die all the time We can't save them all We can't stop it all You aren't responsible." The man nodded and said, "True enough But I'm here Maybe I can save some I have to try." "Very well Thank you Thank you all," Taennen said A few of the civilians looked less eager "The offer is still open to anyone Anyone who wants to leave, should We will find you when this is over Feel no shame in leaving," Taennen said A bearded man in tattered brown robes and a woman in a filthy silk dress both pushed their way back through the line toward the forest exit A few breaths later, two more men joined them Some of the other civilians tried to stop them, to talk them out of leaving, but Taennen insisted that they be allowed to go No one else chose to leave, so Taennen led his troops toward the large cavern where he had encountered Bascou He hoped the man was truly dead and hadn't been saved by the other brigands How many would there be? Would they be waiting in ambush? Could they retake Neversfall? Taennen did not know, but he was there and he had to try +++++ Adeenya directed a group of four soldiers to her left, then another group to her right The remaining few under her command fell in behind her, all of them trying to slip through the woods as quietly as they could The southeast corner of Neversfall peeked through the woods This was as close as they'd get under the forest's cover She gave the signal Her squad of roughly fifteen soldiers dashed out of the obscuring covet of the Aerilpar forest and into the flat plains beyond Speed was their priority The less time they spent in the open, the less time archers had to target them on their approach to the citadel's gates Sprinting across the field, Adeenya listened as best she could over the thumping boots and the swishing grass for the telltale whisk of an arrow whirring past She was certain Jhoqo's forces would send them flying soon Adeenya made her way to the front of her runners, less than a bowshot from the main gate of the citadel She was waving a soldier on faster when an emerald ray of light lanced through him from her right His body flaked into ash and scattered in the warm breeze "Gods damn it! The tower! Get close to the wall now!" Adeenya ordered Jhoqo had found an arcanist potent enough to wield the powers of Neversfall tower itself Her mind raced, wondering what might come next The damned thing might stand up on huge stone legs and come after them for all she knew The scent hit her as she sucked in breath after screaming The man's charred remains, meat on a fire, mixed with a scent that reminded her of cleaning agents used by maids in her father's house The green ray had cut a swath of grass from its path before it had sliced through the man, leaving behind black marks and the smell of cleanliness The soldiers around her held their speed through the discipline of their training No one wavered from their goal of reaching the front gate, their pounding legs drawing them closer every moment One soldier near the rear of the pack spat a curse, drawing everyone's attention to the tower just in time to watch as a small bead of red and orange light coalesced into an enormous ball of fire barreling toward them The ball continued to grow in size as it sizzled through the air Adeenya, and those around her, leaped to the ground and fell flat Most of the licking flames passed over their prone forms, though several, including Adeenya, did not escape unscathed Taking no time to look at the fresh burns, Adeenya jumped to her feet and resumed her charge Her flesh cried out against the pulls and tugs as she ran, but she grunted the pain to the background of her mind and pushed on The scent of burnt flesh filled her nostrils and dared her stomach to keep its place Light flashed in the corner of her eye, followed by a scream from behind her, but Adeenya did not slow, did not turn her head to look She reached the front gate, slowing just in time to avoid slamming into it due to her momentum She stood in the archway of the door, relatively safe from missiles or spells from above Two Durpari soldiers joined her, and the three began hammering at the center of the doors with the butts of their weapons and hard kicks "Out of the way!" Corbrinn shouted behind them His chest heaving from the run, the halfling closed his eyes and murmured as he laid his hand on the door Its thick wooden beams began to bend and curve, writhing as though in pain The wood creaked and groaned, the sound like nothing less than the death knell of some wild animal A gap four handspans wide opened in the door More of Adeenya's forces arrived, levering their weapons in the new opening, and in moments, the door splintered open wide enough for them to pour through a few at a time The snarling faces and shouts of the Chondathans within greeted the invaders as they followed Adeenya She loosed a battle cry and charged at the oncoming line of enemies chapter Tuueotv-Four Xhe torchlight shimmered off the curved tunnel walls like sunlight on water The drumming of running feet announced the arrival of the intruders Taennen rushed toward the cavern where he had found the crates of weapons He hoped his squad would not get trapped in the confining tunnels before engaging the enemy As he rounded the final bend in the corridor, his hope was dashed Twenty paces from the entrance to the cavern, the tunnel walls still hemming them in, two dwarves were running toward him They stood shoulder to shoulder, their bulk occupying the width of the corridor with little room to spare The taller one readied his halberd while the other drew up his shield and axe Behind them, half a dozen more dwarf and human mercenaries gathered The eyes of the dwarf pair went wide when Taennen did not slow his charge, even though the men behind him had stopped Five steps away, Taennen shouted for his troops to fight hard and punch through the defensive pair quickly Three steps away, the muscles in his legs, hips, and back tensed before releasing and sending him into a dive through midair He sailed over the dwarves' weapons and tucked himself into a roll as he landed He found his feet quickly, groaning from the impact, but he did not look back Taennen swiped at another of the dwarves in the cavern even as the clash of metal on metal began ringing behind him as his troops engaged the duo in the tunnel His target ducked the blow, tripping in surprise Taennen disregarded him and rushed at one of the Chondathans The foreigner was ready for Taennen's charge and sent a racing thrust toward him Taennen turned the blade aside with a snap of his shield and sent his own weapon toward the man's shoulder The Chondathan parried the blow but too late saw it for the feint it was Taennen planted a foot in his chest and kicked out The darkblade stumbled backward, his arms flailing He had no chance of defending himself as Taennen sprang into him with two cuts that severed his throat By the time his troops had felled the taller dwarf behind him, Taennen had killed two men, harried a dwarf to distraction, and started a fight with another The dwarf, wearing a gleaming suit of armor ornamented with a holy symbol, slammed his hammer into the ground where Taennen had stood a moment before and cried out in rage at the miss Trying to end the fight quickly, Taennen risked exposing his side, leaning in for a quick slice across the dwarf s throat The warrior's gorget saved him as the khopesh glanced off the steel Taennen paid for his boldness as he felt at least two ribs give way under the impact of the hammer's head The Maquar leaped back to catch the breath that had been stolen The dwarf gave him no respite and charged with a battle cry Taennen sidestepped the dwarf's trajectory only to stumble into another human darkblade who had been trying to work his way into the fray The Chondathan tripped in the collision, but Taennen kept his feet and delivered a hard kick to the man's jaw before readying himself for another charge from the dwarf paladin The dwarf stepped around the prone darkblade and into Taennen's reach As the warrior drew his hammer back, Taennen fell forward, aiming his shoulder at the ground The heavy bludgeon sailed over him as Taennen lashed out, his khopesh digging into the dwarf s face Taennen hit the ground and rolled to his feet in time to dodge another blow The gash in the dwarf s face bled, a river of red on his ruddy face, but if it slowed or pained him much, he did not show it Taennen feinted again, and the dwarf obliged with a thrust of his hammer Taennen easily avoided the blow and sent his blade across the forearm of the dwarfs weapon hand His enemy roared in pain, clasping the wounded wrist with his other hand Taennen did not hesitate, and in two strokes the dwarf fell to the ground, his face unrecognizable through the blood and exposed bone Two of Taennen's soldiers were down—one dead, the other screaming in pain as blood pumped from his stomach All of the former captives were alive and faring well against their opponents They worked together, covering one another with dedication The shorter dwarf with the axe had been dispatched, and Taennen's troops now engaged other opponents in the cavern "Finish them and join our brothers above when you can!" Taennen shouted Three soldiers fell in behind him as he ran to where the Chondathan captured by the formians had said he would find an entrance to the citadel Taennen spied a ladder carved into the stone wall He raced up the rungs and shoved himself through a trap door to find himself standing in one of the outlying buildings in the courtyard of Neversfall Without waiting for the men accompanying him, Taennen ran out the door and into the open space of the citadel beyond +++++ Adeenya shoved the corpse of her first opponent off her sword and twisted her body just in time to deflect the attack of another The Chondathan held her block and tried to slip his second sword into her abdomen She skirted out of his reach and stabbed toward him He parried the blow with one weapon while slicing low at her legs with the other The sounds of battle erupted all around as her troops engaged the Chondathans Her burnt flesh ached for relief, and pain cried out against the constant motion flexing and stretching the skin painfully Suddenly her opponent dropped, a shortsword in his back Corbrinn nodded at her and leaped to his next quarry after plucking his sword from the man Her next opponent landed a painful thrust on her hip She stifled a cry and twisted to remove the blade from her body As she spun, she saw that only seven of her troops had breached the gate, the rest likely dead or severely injured by the magic of the tower Much of her force was gone, and those who remained were utterly surrounded by the enemy, outnumbered at least four to one Adeenya growled as her opponent sliced her upper arm with another strike She returned the attack blow for blow, giving better than she got, but her troops were not faring as well Adeenya fought on, convinced the battle was lost, hoping only to soften the enemy for Taennen's invasion from below She hoped he was having better luck, but she pushed the thought away as she finished off her opponent with a vicious stroke across his chest She faced off against two more before the previous one had even settled on the ground Adeenya's arms were made of stone, her muscles fatigued from exertion and blood loss She felt faint and questioned her eyes when both of her opponents were suddenly yanked backward away from her The big formian, Guk, appeared out of nowhere, sending four of the larger formians into the fighting Two of them ripped and clawed at the Chondathans she had been fighting, the humans already bleeding from fresh wounds Guk disappeared, leaving his soldiers behind to fight Where he had gone, Adeenya did not know, nor did she care The possibility of surviving until Taennen's forces arrived to meet them in the middle of the battle suddenly seemed real Adeenya stumbled forward, strength returning to her limbs as though her newly regained hope was healing her She stayed on the fringe of the formians, stabbing their opponents where she found openings The Chondathan body count quickly rose, and the foreign mercenaries came together, tightening their formation to protect themselves Guk appeared again, the last two formians beside him They leapt into the battle alongside their leader Guk picked up a long axe from the nearby corpse of a fallen Chondathan and drove the weapon into an enemy The big formian edged around the fighting, picking his attacks carefully Adeenya swore aloud when half a dozen more Chondathans came sprinting across the courtyard to join their pressed comrades Her curse was followed quickly by a shout of elation as Taennen came into view, ahead of the new Chondathan force Behind him were some of his soldiers Instead of following him, they turned to face the threat of the oncoming Chondathans, thus segmenting the courtyard into two battles Adeenya thrilled to see Taennen again, but she kept her focus on the fight before her She became concerned when Taennen stopped, still some distance away +++++ Adeenya's forces had been badly reduced, but she was alive Guk's warriors were handling the Chondathans well, rendering the darkblades unconscious when possible instead of killing them Dead slaves made poor slaves, after all Taennen's legs burned with fatigue, but the battle raged and nothing would stop him Nothing—except the voice he heard from behind him Taennen turned at the sound, two words uttered in a booming voice that carried over the din of clashing steel between them "My son," Jhoqo said, standing on the far side of the skirmish Taennen glanced over his shoulder at Adeenya before facing the man who had raised him He sprinted in that direction, a snarl on his face Jhoqo walked toward Taennen, his steps even and steady The Maquar urir parted the combatants before him like herd animals, pushing through them with no regard for their quibbling or their blades His gaze never left Taennen just as Taennen's never left him Jhoqo stopped, standing his ground on the near side of the engagement Taennen charged at him, recalling the tactics Jhoqo had taught him to guess his opponent's defense and determine how to penetrate it for a quick kill If he did not kill the man quickly, he would lose the battle The image of Jhoqo's blood spilling onto the brown, dry earth in the early morning haze of rising heat and cresting sun came into his mind He felt no thrill at the notion, but neither did it disgust him as it once would have It was necessary to ensure what Taennen believed in—a duty to himself and the others The first strike of his khopesh rang off Jhoqo's armor with a metallic screech, but for the first time Taennen heard only his own voice in his mind with no interference from his father, Jhoqo, Loraica or even Adeenya Jhoqo spread his arms out wide and stepped back from Taennen "Please, don't this You have to know that I love you You are my son," the urir said "I what's best for you." "Like you loved the men and women who have fallen here? Like you did what was best for Loraica? You killed her, didn't you?" Taennen asked Jhoqo frowned "No, of course not She was my daughter." Taennen stepped back, wary of the man's blade "Your love cost Loraica her life." Jhoqo said nothing "Who killed her? Whose blade?" "Marlke Marlke did it." "Then at least Loraica is avenged," Taennen said "And your Bascou is dead." "I wish I could have seen you fight him I've no doubt I would have been heartbright of your prowess," Jhoqo said Taennen roared and charged the man, lashing out with his weapon, again to no avail Jhoqo stepped to the side but did not return the attack "I love you You are my son." Taennen kept his weapon ready but nodded and said, "I not doubt that you do, and I am grateful for the man you helped me become The man who misses his murdered friend The man who knows that what you've done is wrong." Jhoqo cocked his head to the side and asked, "Then you intend to kill me yourself? Would Loraica want that?" "I not wish your death, but I understand its necessity now," Taennen said A Chondathan man harried by two Maquar stumbled between Taennen and Jhoqo as they spoke In a flash of brilliant green light, one of the Maquar turned to ash, his sword dropping to the ground with a rattle The tower glowed and pulsed with the power that it poured down upon its enemies Jhoqo's eyes narrowed, ignorant of the interruption "Tell me why it must be that way." "Tell me why your former friends and soldiers are dying right now! Tell me why that cursed tower is slaughtering them!" Taennen said "It shouldn't be happening this way They shouldn't be dying But you have given me no choice, so I ask you the same question," Jhoqo said Taennen scowled and said, "We've been dying since we came here!" Jhoqo nodded "A few deaths, to bring the rest together Unity has always been my goal," he said "More than a few died!" Taennen said "It became clear to me that I could not sway as many of you as I had hoped When Bascou's men came, I saw in the faces of our own soldiers that they would never see the light and truth I knew then that more had to be done," Jhoqo said "Fear inspires where loyalty cannot Things needed to escalate." "Escalate? Listen to yourselfl You sound so practical about it all," Taennen said "It is for the glory and benefit of Estagund that I what I now! I had hoped you would understand too." "So you shut me out of your plans? You kept me in the dark to your true motivations? You killed my best friend? A soldier whom you loved?" Taennen asked "That does not sound hopeful to me But now that I see your plan, I owe you thanks Before we came here, I probably would have followed you blindly down whatever path you chose But now I can see your depravity and save myself from your fate." Jhoqo stiffened his posture and said, "You must choose your way as everyone must The South does not seek unseeing dolts and, as its defender, neither I We abound in mindless followers as it is I wanted you to choose I wanted to tell you everything I wanted your help in righting the wrongs But you are making the wrong choice." "Then you've not presented me with one at all," Taennen said as he began to circle his opponent Jhoqo answered the maneuver by moving as well, his head hanging low "No You still have a choice and have had all along." "Did you give Loraica a choice?" Taennen asked "You see the injustices every day, but you choose to nothing! I am a freedom fighter I see the inequities and work to right them," Jhoqo said, ignoring the question "Freedom fighter? Fighting for the wealthy merchants who pay you to make them more coin illegally?" Taennen said "For the chakas who can't see past their own purses?" "For everyone!" Jhoqo shouted "For everyone, son Philosophies are murky, messy things, impossible to interpret, but the Adama is very clear on one thing: All is one Everything is connected You believe that, I know you do." Taennen did not respond but lowered his khopesh, even as the screams of dying soldiers rolled in waves through the courtyard More scorching rays from the tower rained down "That's all I'm fighting for If our people are allowed to trade with Mulhorand, then they make more coin They spend that coin at home where more of our people benefit from that spending It comes full circle, elevating the wealth of the lesser merchants as they sell to the wealthier, thereby spreading the wealth All around it, our people will be better for it," Jhoqo said "Until they are crushed by the Mulhorandi's endless war," Taennen replied He lifted his khopesh and advanced "When you became a Maquar you swore to uphold the rajah's laws What about those? You're breaking a law." Jhoqo retreated a little way."An unjust law A law that limits the freedoms of our people, a law that benefits no one other than those countries who are selling Mulhorand their goods without competition from us!" Jhoqo said "Sell to them Sell them the shirt off your back, but not weapons with which they will spill more innocent blood," Taennen said "For a man leading a rebellion against his commanding officer, you are clinging strongly to laws," Jhoqo said Taennen paused a moment before responding, "I don't care about the law anymore I care about what's right Profiting from blood and war is wrong Stopping you from making that happen is right." "War is business, and it will happen with or without us We should benefit from it!" Jhoqo said "You see benefit for our people measured by the coin in their pockets I see the benefit of a clear conscience, a clean spirit, and bloodless hands, the benefit of other countries expanding their trade with us because of our morals and beliefs, the benefit of trusting our leaders." Jhoqo's face twisted, and he lunged forward Taennen avoided his blade and stumbled back He gained his feet in time to block another attack with his shield His slash at Jhoqo's lower arm was likewise thwarted Taennen moved faster than he had ever moved before, but it was not enough Jhoqo's blade sank into a gap in his armor near the bottom of his stomach Taennen hopped back from the man's reach but ignored the wound "This place, this citadel, represents everything the South should be It is strong, promotes community, and offers opportunity for both trade and security," Jhoqo said "It was built on laws and trust and charged with maintaining them both It does all those things you said, but it does them openly, not in the dark, behind closed doors, and not by the murder of innocents," Taennen said The noise of battle around them was dwindling The Maquar, Durpari, and formians outnumbered the Chondathans, and the two separate clashes had become one as the Chondathans converged near the front gate They formed a tight defensive circle and held their enemies at bay The dazzling lights from the tower stopped, and a cry of the mage manning the post was heard below as the man fell to his death in the courtyard "The tower is ours," Taennen said Jhoqo growled and ran for Neversfall Taennen's eyes locked with Adeenya's as she was finishing off an opponent His eyes lingered a moment before he turned and gave chase to Jhoqo He followed the man through the door and up the stairs, both of them leaping several steps at a time His body ached and his muscles quivered with fatigue Taennen closed the gap between them to only a few steps as they were halfway up the staircase He reached out with his curved khopesh, entangling Jhoqo's ankle The older man fell forward, his face slamming into the edge of a step Jhoqo rolled over quickly, his sword held aloft in defense Taennen winced to see his mentor's face covered in blood, his nose askew His stomach did not ache with remorse, but his heart filled with pity "Kill me, then," Jhoqo said, blood dribbling from his mouth when he spoke "Not unless I must,"Taennen shook his head Jhoqo smirked "You speak of what is right, yet you're simply a coward, too afraid to the right thing Too afraid to see our homeland attain the glory that is its right Like everyone else, you're not troubled by your conscience, you're scared That's why the others had to die, that's why I sacrificed them on those patrols They would not allow the future of the South to emerge from destiny I thought better of you, but I was wrong The right thing isn't always easy, son I tried to teach you that I can see I failed." He swung the falchion at Taennen's ankles, only to be blocked once more Taennen shoved the blade away, breaking Jhoqo's grip The falchion clattered down the steps Taennen stared at the man for a long moment before driving forward, his blade sinking into Jhoqo's gut He twisted the weapon, eliciting a groan from the man "You did not fail I learned the lesson well." chapter Tuueotv-fiue Adeenya limped toward Taennen as he emerged from the tower Strips of cloth applied by one of her men stemmed the blood flowing from several wounds The sword in her hand was dull, covered in gore that hid its sheen She motioned toward the tower but did not ask the question Taennen nodded and scanned the courtyard The fight was over Weapons, shields, and armor littered the ground Many Chondathans were dead, their bodies scattered across the stained courtyard Those who had surrendered or been knocked out were being corralled by the formians at the front gate The monstrous prisoners, goblins and others, were also dragged from the prison building and lined up at the gate in chains Many of them screeched in protest but were quickly quieted by the formians "How many of ours did we lose?" Taennen asked Adeenya grimaced and said, "More than half There are barely a dozen of us left now." Taennen nodded and stared at the rain-laden clouds, wishing they would drop their burden on his face to cool and soothe him "Why did he it?" Adeenya asked, staring at the sky "For the good of the South," Taennen said "He felt he had to." Adeenya dropped her eyes to face him but said nothing "What now?" she asked.When Taennen did not answer, she continued, nodding toward Guk "They can take us easily now." "They could," Taennen said "So we win the citadel just to become worker slaves?" she asked "No," Taennen said "So they'll leave, having helped us out of kindness?" she said, incredulity obvious in her tone "No They received their compensation," he said, pointing to the shackled monsters and unconscious Chondathans the formians were dragging away Adeenya's face wrinkled before her eyes went wide "No! You didn't " Taennen said nothing, only stared at Guk, who returned the gaze Adeenya looked away "We needed them," Taennen said, not looking at her "You're a slaver You realize that, don't you?" she said "We needed their help Without the formians, we'd be dead by now and Jhoqo—" Taennen swallowed "The Mulhorandi would have their goods." "Giving those men to him makes you no better than a slave trader." Taennen nodded "Maybe that's true I don't think I know what a crime is anymore Is it worse to cheat, or to kill? And who decides that?" "The laws decide," Adeenya said "They follow laws too," he said, pointing to the formians "Their laws are just different from ours " "They're wrong," she said "Not to them," he replied "Laws can't be subjective like that," Adeenya said "Their meaning, their purpose, must be agreed upon for them to work." Taennen shrugged "And when does that happen?" Adeenya did not respond but furrowed her brow "So everybody should just break the laws they don't agree with, like Jhoqo did?" she said after a few moments "No," he said "But they should have the courage to stand against the ones they feel are wrong." "I don't see the difference," she said Several breaths passed in silence Then Guk approached them, stopping a few steps away He seemed no worse for the battle, showing no injuries at all "You'll leave now?" Taennen asked "My other people will come soon to help us move the new workers," Guk said "And then?" Taennen asked "We will gather our strength," Guk said "Some workers will stay Others will join the main hive More from there will come here." "And then you'll come back for more workers," Taennen said "Yes," Guk said "Until then," the Maquar said The formians honesty, while brutal in impact and intent, was refreshing to Taennen He'd had his fill of deception "Yes," Guk said, before turning back to his followers "They'll come back and take anyone in the citadel, won't they?" she asked "They'll come back for everyone in the South, eventually," Taennen said Adeenya failed to breathe for a moment before nodding, her eyes finding Taennen's "We could try to kill them now, stop them," she said Taennen's mouth formed a tiny, tight grin "With what army? They would slaughter us with little effort," he said Adeenya nodded "So we just let them go?" "Yes They were out there before Nothing's really changed," he said "Besides, they kept their word, and now I'll keep mine." Adeenya frowned but said nothing "Both the men I've called father in my life taught me the importance of keeping my word They couldn't have both been wrong," he said "They were both criminals, Taennen," Adeenya said Taennen agreed and said, "One broke laws he thought unjust for what he believed was the good of everyone He, at least, died trying to what he believed in The other broke laws he did believe in to feed himself and his child He lost his freedom, betrayed by someone he loved." Adeenya raised an eyebrow "The Taennen I met when all of this started wouldn't have condoned either crime," she said "He's in that tower if you want to go ask him," Taennen said, turning to face Neversfall He craned his neck to take in the full height of the structure and thought about why it had been built Some said to protect the South Others said to fill the pockets of Southerners Looking at the smooth stones that climbed toward the heavens, Taennen knew both were right He also knew that it did not matter Intention meant nothing, motives were pointless Declarations and dedications never made anything happen The tower had been built because someone saw the need to take action The tower stood because accomplishments meant more than plans "I'm not sure, even after all of this, if I would condone either," Adeenya said When Taennen did not respond, she continued "Maybe the reason for breaking the law is more important than the law itself." "Sometimes, I think, you have to the wrong thing for the right reasons." "Sounds like justification to me A criminal might say the same thing about stealing," Adeenya said "A criminal does the wrong things for the wrong reasons," Taennen countered "It's a fine distinction." "What we about the people behind the operation that Jhoqo worked for?" Adeenya asked She paused a moment and added, "My father is one of them." "I'm sorry he is involved, Adeenya." Adeenya nodded "I probably shouldn't feel so surprised When Jhoqo talked of patriotism, he reminded me of my father It was almost as though the two were of the same mind My father has always taken the path of profit for profit's sake But there have to be others What we about them?" "We find them." "Taennen, how we that? Anyone could have been involved The rajah himself might be behind it, for all the One!" "They'll come to us," he said "Why would anyone reveal themselves by coming here?" Taennen kicked a sword from the hand of a nearby Chondathan corpse "The weapons," he said "They need weapons There's a fortune down there They'll have to come for them How we stop them is the better question." Adeenya patted him on the shoulder and said, "We collapse the tunnels." Taennen looked at her, beautiful even through the pain, sweat, blood, and fatigue on her face "We stay, then?" "The citadel needs to be defended," she said "Reinforcements?" "With any luck, we'll find among these bodies a pendant that was stolen from me With it, we can contact someone back home for help," she said "Whom we trust?" he asked "We contact those we've always trusted and hope we're right to so." "What if the leaders of Durpar and Estagund are behind it all?" he asked Adeenya looked back to the sky and said, "Then we stop them All of them." "Of course," Taennen said, casting his eyes up to the tower again "Of course we do." ... together they walked to his tent The Maquar they passed whispered to one another as they continued their work The air was filled with the scent of mucjara soup, a staple among the Maquar The. .. for her troops to continue their push through the back ranks of the beastly army The Maquar were cutting through the lines on the opposite side The Southern forces had the creatures in a pincer... task The One, the All, has come together and presented us with an opportunity to add our balance to the world We will just that!" The Maquar slapped their gloves on the boiled leather of their